Another Day, Still No Resolution To Mets' Dickey Dilemma
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- So the Mets won't meet R.A. Dickey's asking price and potential trade partners won't meet New York's trade demands.
Something's got to give.
According to the New York Daily News, "team insiders continued to indicate an irreversible aversion" to matching Dickey's desired deal, reportedly $31 million over three years, including the $5 million he's slated to earn in 2013.
Meanwhile, the New York Post reported there's "little chance" the knuckleballer would get a no-trade clause from Mets brass.
"Dickey wants this deal so bad, he'll probably do it," a source told the Post.
New York reportedly upped its offer this week to three years at $25 million, closing the gap to around $6 million from the knuckleballer's asking price. An American League exec told the Post that it sounded like "a pretty fair offer."
But apparently Dickey doesn't think so. He aired his grievances Tuesday while serving as an honorary elf at the Mets' annual holiday party for schoolkids.
"You want what you think is fair," Dickey said. "I feel like we're asking for less than what's fair. … There is a surprise sometimes when things don't get done quickly and you already think you're extending the olive branch."
The Mets were reportedly upset at Dickey's choice to gripe at a team event.
The 38-year-old described his return as a "coin flip." But he was more confident in what would happen after the 2013 season if he's brought back on his option year alone.
"If that's the decision they feel like is best for the club and that's the decision that they make, I feel like it would be unfortunate, because it probably is going to mean I'm not going to be back," Dickey said.
General manager Sandy Alderson told reporters there was "some progress" in the ongoing Dickey talks, and he hoped to have "more clarity in a few days" — one way or another. With the market shaking out, trading Dickey has to still be considered as a real possibility.
The Mets "consider four teams as 'serious' potential trade partners" for Dickey, meaning they'd include one major prospect, the Post reported. But the Mets reportedly want more than one top prospect.
Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and 230 strikeouts in 2012 en route to the NL Cy Young Award. Dickey walked just 54 hitters in 233 2/3 innings pitched.
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